40 years ago this month, fifth-year NFL quarterback Terry Bradshaw came of age. The former #1 overall draft pick in 1970 had struggled in his first five regular seasons, averaging just 1,504 passing yards per season, while throwing 48 touchdowns and 81 interceptions.

But in the 1974 playoffs, something clicked. In wins over the Buffalo Bills, the Oakland Raiders, and finally, in the Super Bowl IX against the Minnesota Vikings, Bradshaw played the best football of his career, steadying himself long enough to let a powerful running game and legendary “Steel Curtain” defense dictate the tempo of games and slowly bleed out opponents.

In 1975, Bradshaw set a career high in passing yards, posted a 2-to-1 touchdown to interception ratio, was named to the Pro Bowl and guided the Steelers to a victory in Super Bowl X. Over the next four years, the Steelers won two more Super Bowls (XIII and XIV) because of Bradshaw and a ferocious defense, not in spite of him.

The evolution of Bradshaw as a quarterback can be neatly surmised via a casual glance at his statistics in each of the four Super Bowls which he participated in and won. From throwing just 14 passes for 96 yards and one touchdown in his first Super Bowl, to throwing 21 for 309 and two touchdowns and winning the MVP Award in his fourth, Bradshaw rebuilt himself and completely changed the trajectory of his career.

After a brutal first five years as a professional quarterback, Bradshaw was named NFL MVP in 1978 and was the first quarterback to win three, and then four Super Bowls, collecting two Super Bowl MVP awards in the process on his way to Canton, Ohio and a spot in the NFL Hall of Fame.

We spoke to Terry about his progression as a quarterback, the Super Bowl and the Steelers dynasty of the 1970s.

Talk about your experience working with Pepsi on the Pepsi GRAMMY Halftime Show.

“This is just great, man. My agent called me and described the script and it sounded like so much fun, I couldn’t wait to do it. It was so much fun to make. And Deion (Sanders) and Shannon (Sharpe) were all laughing at each other. And coach Ditka was a hoot! Just four old guys out there showing off our stuff!

You’ve been talking about the Super Bowl around this time of year for 40 years. Do you ever get tired of the Super Bowl?

“No, it’s a once a year thing. I normally don’t talk about the Super Bowl unless Fox is covering it. I never come to the Super Bowl. I’m normally with my family. We bring everyone in and spend three or four days together. And we go fishing, barbeque, smoke and cook and play cards, dominoes – it’s festive for us. When I’m at the Super Bowl, I’m focused and I really enjoy it. I’m happy because it showcases Fox and it’s big for the network and you have great sponsors like Pepsi coming on board. How many guys at my age, 65, get to do a really cool spot with one of the top, top, top franchises in the world? I don’t particularly like the cold, but that’s the way it is; we just enjoy it and move on. I love the Super Bowl.”

As a rookie, you were the first overall draft pick, and in the ensuing season, you threw a league leading 24 interceptions and split time with Terry Hanratty. What are your thoughts on that year in hindsight, after all the success?

“Well, I came up out of a small school where I was not exposed to the media, not exposed to fans, what it was like to have a bad game and the repercussions. So being booed, being ripped in the papers, this was all new to me. I had to learn how to be a professional, I had to learn how to study, I had to learn defenses. It took me a while. I wasn’t a real student of the game, I never really was one even as the years went on. I was never a guy that could sit down and just pound out tape after tape. Now, it’s a lot easier. Back then, tape would break and you’d have to glue it back together. I could sit there and my coach could tell me the coverages they would use, take all that information and put it on a piece of paper, go through all the plays and everything, and I would know what to do. I learned how to be a professional and it was brutal. Being booed and being called all those horrible things left a lasting impression on me. I never forgot it.”

How many times has your last name been altered to “Bad-shaw” in a story headline after a rough outing?

“Oh gosh, I don’t know. I will say this to ya. If you do, you’re not coming up with anything new. I’ve been asked a lot of strange things and I always answer them. But nothing surprises me anymore.”

How different is your life if the “Immaculate Reception” doesn’t happen?

“The ‘Immaculate Reception’ did nothing to help me; we won a game and got beat the following week. It’s voted a great play every year, but not much. It wouldn’t change anything.”

Before winning four Super Bowls in six years from 1974 and 1979, in 1972 and 1973, your Steelers teams made the playoffs for the second and third time in franchise history, but lost in the AFC Championship after the “Immaculate Reception” and the Divisional Playoff the following year. What did you get out of those losses and what did they help you address?

“We grew up. We were a young football team and we matured. As we gained more confidence, we got more comfortable in big games. We learned how to handle it and then we started winning. And when we started winning, we expected to keep winning.”

What makes the Steelers teams you were a part of so transcendent? 40 years ago and everybody still remembers all the key players and components. Part of it is because you won, but a lot of other good teams won the Super Bowl that no one remembers. Was it the personalities of the team, guys like you and Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier and the “Steel Curtain” defense? Or was it something else?

“I think it was because of the defense; we had a great defense. We had a great defense that would transcend into any era, today’s game, very easily. We had big corners, 6’3″. We had big safeties, 6’1″, 6’2″. We had big guys. We had fast linebackers, quick linebackers. We had a Hall of Fame tackle in Joe Greene who was 275 or 280 and quick, strong. Power running game. Bombs away offense. It’s an offense and a defense that moves right along as time moves along. And today, if you were to see the Steelers, we’d be Seattle; that’s who we’d be. When you’re looking at Seattle, you’re looking at Pittsburgh.”

Tony Gonzalez is an NFL icon. A lock for the Hall of Fame when he retires, Gonzalez has the most receiving yards (14,268) and touchdowns (107) for a tight end in NFL history, and the second most receptions (1,242) all-time, trailing only 49ers legend Jerry Rice.

Recently, I spoke with the 17-year veteran about his partnership with Clear Men Scalp Therapy, “Marty Ball” and the evolution of the NFL. You can check out a transcription of the interview below, or just watch the embedded video of our discussion after the break.

Bullz-Eye: So Tony, what’s going on with you and Clear Men Scalp Therapy?

Tony Gonzalez: I teamed up with Clear Men Scalp Therapy because as you strive to be the perfect man, it starts with first impressions. And as a football player wearing a helmet all the time, we deal with flakes. They have flake free, dandruff free shampoo that really doesn’t dry your hair out and I love it. It smells great and I’m glad to be a part of it.

Bull-Eye: Speaking of flakes, how has the integration of social media in today’s world changed the way you interact with fans?

Tony Gonzalez: It’s a game changer; everyone has a voice. Let alone just athletes, anyone “famous” or whatever you want to call, everyone gets to voice their opinion. My 12-year-old son has a Facebook and Instagram and he’s like, ‘Dad why don’t you respond to me so I can get more friends?’ and all this stuff. As the professional athlete, it’s a blessing and a huge tool to reach whatever audience you want to reach. On the flip side of that, it’s a dangerous tool, if it’s used improperly and you see athletes putting stuff out there all the time. Once you push send, it’s on there forever; for the rest of your life and even when you leave the earth, people are still able to check out what you thought about a certain subject and it can be dangerous.”

Bullz-Eye: How has the NFL changed specifically? It’s become more of a passing league, and when you started, it was “Marty Ball.”

Tony Gonzalez: Well, the rule changes, that’s what I think has been the biggest impact, especially as of late, with guys not able to knock you out when you go over the middle anymore; they can’t hit you in the head anymore. Back when I came into the league that was encouraged, that’s what they wanted to see, that’s what the fans wanted to see, but obviously, it’s very dangerous. You can’t just keep doing it that way.

You’re seeing this level of the spread offenses with the quarterbacks. I think these quarterbacks have greatly improved throughout the league. There’s always been great quarterbacks: John Elway, Dan Marino, Joe Montana. But now, you’re seeing guys like that on each team — guys that have that ability to spread the ball around, you see it all over the league. Peyton, Tom, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan… and there’s plenty of other guys I can name that all have that ability to spread the ball out. It’s tough for defenses to stop us now because of the rule changes, but I’m not going to complain about it.

Bullz-Eye: When was the last time you were on the football field and you questioned yourself? Where you heard that nagging little voice say, “I don’t know if I’m faster than this guy, I don’t know if I’m stronger than this guy…” And what was the scenario?

Tony Gonzalez: Probably not during a game. (Laughs) During practice, usually during camp, I start to question myself. “Man, I might be too old for this… my body hurts.” But that’s what camp’s all about. When that creeps up, and that’s totally normal, that happens. At the same time you need to say, “Shut up, I’m here, I’ve worked hard, I’m here for a reason and I’m here to get the job done. I’ve done it before and there’s no reason I can’t do it again.